The Ronald Reagan Quiz

How much do you know about the 40th president of the United States? Ace this Ronald Reagan quiz to see if you can win one for the Gipper!

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Question 1 of 30

When was Ronald Reagan born?

1911

Ronald Reagan was born on Feb. 6, 1911, to John "Jack" and Nelle Reagan in Tampico, Illinois.

1909

1907

Question 2 of 30

What was Ronald Reagan's childhood family nickname?

Gipper

Butch

Dutch

Ronald Reagan's father nicknamed him "Dutch," a name that stuck for most of his childhood.

Question 3 of 30

Ronald Reagan attended Dixon High School in which state?

Ohio

Illinois

Dixon High School is in Dixon, Illinois.

California

Question 4 of 30

What job did Ronald Reagan work during summer breaks from high school?

soda jerk

general store clerk

lifeguard

Ronald Reagan worked as a lifeguard in his hometown of Dixon, Illinois.

Question 5 of 30

True or false: Ronald Reagan attended the University of Illinois on an athletic scholarship.

true

false

Ronald Reagan attended Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois, on an athletic scholarship.

Question 6 of 30

Ronald Reagan said, "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem," during which speech?

debate with President Carter

first inaugural speech

Ronald Reagan said this line during his first inaugural address.

second inaugural speech

Question 7 of 30

In 1937, Ronald Reagan signed a contract with which Hollywood studio?

Warner Bros.

Reagan signed a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. Pictures.

MGM

20th Century Fox

Question 8 of 30

How many feature films did Ronald Reagan appear in?

30

40

50

Ronald Reagan appeared in more than 50 feature films and numerous television series over the course of his acting career.

Question 9 of 30

Which famous actress did Ronald Reagan marry in 1940?

Jane Russell

Jayne Mansfield

Jane Wyman

In 1940, Ronald Reagan married fellow Warner Bros. contract actress Jane Wyman. The couple had three children together — Maureen, Michael and Christine — before divorcing in 1948.

Question 10 of 30

What was Ronald Reagan's middle name?

William

Wilson

Ronald Reagan's middle name was Wilson.

Wallace

Question 11 of 30

Which military unit did Ronald Reagan serve in during World War II?

1st Motion Picture Unit

When Ronald Reagan reported for active duty in 1942, vision problems excluded him from overseas service. Reagan was classified for limited service and assigned to the 1st Motion Picture Unit in Burbank, California. When Reagan was separated from active duty in 1945, his units had produced about 400 training films for the Army and Air Force.

10th Mountain Division

1st Infantry Division

Question 12 of 30

How many terms did Ronald Reagan serve as president of the Screen Actors Guild?

three

five

seven

Ronald Reagan served a total of seven terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild.

Question 13 of 30

What year did Ronald Reagan marry actress Nancy Davis?

1952

Ronald Reagan married actress Nancy Davis on March 4, 1952, in Los Angeles at the Little Brown Church in the Valley. The couple had two children, Patricia and Ronald.

1956

1960

Question 14 of 30

Which 1957 World War II movie featured Ronald and Nancy Reagan as co-stars?

"The Hasty Heart"

"Prisoner of War"

"Hellcats of the Navy"

Ronald and Nancy Reagan costarred in the 1957 World War II film "Hellcats of the Navy."

Question 15 of 30

Ronald Reagan won the governorship of California in 1966 as a member of which political party?

Democratic

Republican

In 1966, Reagan won the governorship of California as a member of the Republican Party.

Libertarian

Question 16 of 30

True or false: Ronald Reagan was not re-elected to a second term as governor of California.

true

false

Ronald Reagan was re-elected to a second term as the governor of California in 1970.

Question 17 of 30

When Ronald Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall," what was he referring to?

the Berlin Wall

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan spoke at the Brandenburg Gate of the Berlin Wall. He concluded with the line, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

the Iron Curtain

the Kremlin Wall

Question 18 of 30

How many unsuccessful bids for the Republican presidential nomination did Ronald Reagan make?

none

two

Ronald Reagan made two unsuccessful bids for the Republican presidential nomination in 1968 and 1976 before receiving the nomination in 1980.

four

Question 19 of 30

Which incumbent president did Ronald Reagan run against in the 1980 general election?

President Gerald Ford

President Jimmy Carter

In the 1980 general election, Ronald Reagan ran against incumbent President Jimmy Carter. Reagan was elected as the 40th president of the United States, with an electoral margin of 489 to 49.

President George H.W. Bush

Question 20 of 30

How many days had President Ronald Reagan been in office when he was shot by John Hinckley Jr. in an assassination attempt?

29 days

49 days

69 days

President Reagan had been in office for 69 days when John Hinckley Jr. shot him in an assassination attempt on March 30, 1981. The assassination attempt was not fatal, and Reagan would go on to fulfill his presidency.

Question 21 of 30

Ronald Reagan appointed this woman as the first female to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sandra Day O'Connor

In 1981, Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O'Connor as the first female to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Sonia Sotomayor

Question 22 of 30

Which Democratic presidential candidate did Ronald Reagan run against in the 1984 general election?

Michael Dukakis

Jimmy Carter

Walter Mondale

In the 1984 general election, Ronald Reagan ran against Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale. Reagan defeated Mondale in 49 out of 50 states and won the election with 525 out of 538 electoral votes.

Question 23 of 30

Which country was the U.S. pitted against during the Cold War?

The Soviet Union

The Cold War, which peaked during Reagan's presidency, pitted the U.S. against the communist Soviet Union.

Iran

Afghanistan

Question 24 of 30

When did Ronald Reagan finish his second term as the president of the United States?

1990

1989

Ronald Reagan finished his second term on Jan. 20, 1989. Reagan's vice president, George H.W. Bush, was sworn in as the 41st U.S. president the same day.

1988

Question 25 of 30

What nickname did Ronald Reagan acquire due to his public speaking ability?

the Great Orator

the Great Speaker

the Great Communicator

Ronald Reagan earned the nickname "the Great Communicator" from his ability to deliver powerful speeches.

Question 26 of 30

What is the title of Ronald Regan's autobiography?

"An American Life"

In 1990, Ronald Reagan published his autobiography, "An American Life."

"The Reagan Years"

"An American Presidency"

Question 27 of 30

Where is the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum located?

Eureka, Illinois

Simi Valley, California

The Ronald W. Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is located in Simi Valley, California.

Washington

Question 28 of 30

True or false: After leaving the White House, former President Ronald Reagan returned to Berlin and knocked down a remaining fragment of the Berlin Wall.

true

In September 1990, Reagan returned to Berlin and took several sledgehammer swings at the Berlin Wall.

false

Question 29 of 30

During which speech did Ronald Reagan say, "I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead"?

1989 presidential farewell address

the last line of his 1990 autobiography

1994 announcement of Alzheimer's disease

On Nov. 5, 1994, Ronald Reagan released a letter announcing his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. This is the last line of the letter.

Question 30 of 30

What year did Reagan die?

1996

2000

2004

Former President Ronald Reagan died at home in Los Angeles on June 5, 2004, at age 93.